Sound-producing device



oct. 26,1926', 1,604,749

L. J. GRUBMAN SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE Filed July 3l 1923 MIU INVENTOR v 24 ZM .I mzmm /Ww ATTORNEY ll O Patented Get., 26, 1926.

`narran srArnls reame PATENT, barrica.

Lao J. eRnnivrAn, or Naw Yoan., n; Y., Assrenoa To vo'rons, INCORPORATED, or NEWARK, new inasnr; A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

soUN-D-PRODUCING Dnvcn.

pplication filed July 31, 1923. lSerial No. 654,858.

This invention relates to soundproducing devices,and more particularly to a device of that type which is incorporated within the body of a doll for the purpose of simulating an infa-nt cry, such as the exclamation MaJ-ma. The subject matter Vof the present application is described and generically claimed in application Serial No. 609,397, filed by meon December 28, 1922. In this pending application there is disclosed a sound producing device ofthe above character wherein the sound producing and emitting means is arranged to extend axially of the air chamber from which the air is expelled by a gravity movable member but is not connected to the chamber walls and has a free lateral movement with respect thereto. In'such case the longitudinal wall o-f the air expelling member has frictional,

sliding engagement with the wall of the outer casing, andthe primaryl object and purpose of my present improvement is to combine the advantageous features of the floating or laterally movable sound producing and emitting means with the bellows type of air chamber wherein said air chamber has a flexible body wall enclosed within the outer casing. Y i

' It is'another object of my presentimprovement toprovide an improved construction of the'mov'able bellows head and means for securing one end of the flexible bellows wall thereto.`

Another important feature of the bellows headv construction,` which constitutes vthe air expelling member, is theprovision of a part thereof, which, bv'its coaction with the outer casing wall effectively limits the possible lateral tilt or angular movement of said head and the sound emitting means from its normal position, thus at all times insuring the proper'functioning ofthe device.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consistsin the improved sound producingI device and in the form and construction and relative arrangement of" its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accom` panying drawing and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

Referring in detail to the drawing wherein I have illustrated one lsimple and practical embodiment of the invention nd in avhiah similar tiefere/nce characters corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 'l is a vertical sectional view showing one construction of my presentv improvements. i

.Figure 2 is a plan view'thereof.

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure l,

'showing the relative arrangement of the parts after thedevice has operated; anch Figure l is ahorizontallsectional view" into U shape form as shown ati?, thereby producingan annular channel adapted to receive one end ofthe body wall of the casing. This end of the casing-is closed by means of 'a Vsheet metal headB, which is also formed i with an annular U `.shaped marginal rim 9 adapted for frictional' clamping engagen'ient upon the marginal portion of thewall,

thereby tightly clamping the" edge" of `the latter wallY to theend of the casing 5. rlChe space'between the wall' 6 and the head 8 'constitutes a. Sound' amplifying chamber C, as*

will more fully appear from the following description. v A i The metal' head plate 8 is provided with a centrallyraised orupwardly struck portion lQhaving a circular' series of spaced openings 11 therein, and thepartof'the head plate between this portion and the rim portion 9 thereof'is also provided with a similar `series of openings 1 2;

The body wall of thecasing '5 incloses an air' chamber of the Icollapsible 'or `bellows type, having a flexiblev wall 13, one end `of which is engaged around and'securely fixed upon the other end edge of the casingwall by means of a'sheet metal closure head 14, which isoffsimilar Vconstruction to the head 8 above described with the exception that the head 14 is imperforate. This'latter head is,

however, provided with a centrally dished `flange or shoulder 19 in said wall.

ling member, which, as herein shown, includes a shell 16 of sheet metal having an annular wall 17 of appreciably less diameter than the internal diameter of the casing 5, and therefore laterally movable to a limited extent with respect to'said casing wall. At one of its ends the shell 16 has a wall provided with a circular inwardly struck portion 18, which is of slightly dished or concavo-convex form and provides an annular A disc or annulus 20 is fitted within this flange against theV convex face of the `wall section 18 of the shell and between the edge of said disc and the flange 19 the other end of the flexible wall 18 of the air chamber is interposed, so that this end of said wall will be tightly clamped and frictionally held by the disc 20 in connection with the shell 16.

The concave-convex section l18 of the wall of the shcllr16 is provided with arcentral opening the e'dge of which is engaged in an annular vgroove formed in one end .of the sound controlling sleeve 21. This sleeve is loosely engaged for sliding movement upon the sound emission tube 22, which is axially Y and loosely positioned through the air chamber A and the sound amplifying chamber C. rlfhe resonating wall 6 of the latter chamber isprovided with the opening 23, which permits of a lateral as well as axial movement of the sleeve 21. The opposite ends of the tube 22 are closed by the plugs 2e, 24. Adjacent to the plug 2e the wall of the tube is provided with an air admission aperture 25 in communication with the air receiving lchamber A. Adjacent to this aperture the sound produc-ing reed 26 is suitably mounted within said tube. The other plug 24 in the opposite end of the tube is provided with a nasal aperture 27. In spaced relation to the latter plug and adjacent to the wall 6 ot' the sound amplifying chamber C the wall of the tube 22 is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced sound emission apertures 28.

At one side the sleeve 21 is formed with Vthe spaced horizontal slots 29 and 80, respectively, which extend around said sleeve for substantially 180. These slots by registration with the series of apertures 28 determine the character and duration of the sounds emitted into the amplifying chamberC `and Vfinally through openings 11 and 12 of the simulated.

will operate properly to expel the air from the chamber A through the sound producing reed 26, even though the doll within which the device is mounted may not be held in perpendicular position.

rlhe operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description. As herein shown, the slots and 8O of the sound controlling sleeve 21 are so relatively proportioned and arranged that in the sliding movement of the sleeve as the weighted head of the air chamber A moves in one direction along the tube 22, sounds simulating the infant cry Ma-ma ywill be emitted. lt will, however, be readily understood that by simply changing the size, form and relative arrangement of such apertures, other desired cries or exclamations may be simulated. lTJhen the parts are in the relative position seen in Fig. Y'

1 of the drawing, the chamber A is hlled with air, and from this position the weighted head of said chamber moves downwardly by gravity, so that as the chamber wall 13 collapses and folds upon itself as shownl in 3, the air is expelled from said chamber through the aperture 25 into the tube 22, and in its passage through the reed 26 the sound is reproduced. The emission of these sound waves from said tube into the sound amplifying chamber C is controlled by the sleeve21. Thus, as the sleeve moves downwardly on the tube the first sound issues from the nasal aperture 27 and simulates the sound of the spoken letter h/J. llhen therelatively narrow slot 29 in the wall of the sleeve registersr with the series of openings 28, the sound of the spoken vowel AV is emitted. vAfter this slot in the sleeve passes below 'said apertures and the apertures are closed by the solid por` tion of the sleeve between the slots 29 and 80, sound again issues from the aperture 27,

so that the letter M7 issounded for a second time; lVhen the wider slot 30 registers with the apertures 28, the vowel Ai-j is again sounded and for a ,relatively longer period of time. Thus,4 the two syllables of the infant cry Ma-ma will be realistically7 The sounds produced. by the reed 26 are, of course, materially amplified in the chamber C by the resonating wall 6, so that the sounds finally emitted through the apertures 11 and12 in the casing head will be clearly and distinctly audible'. After the air chamber A has been exhausted, it may be recharged merely by inverting the position of the device as. seen in Fig. 3, so that the weighted head will move in the opposite direction along'the tube 22. During such movement air enters the chamber A through the apertures 28. the reed 26 and the-aperture 25. It will be observed that the tube 22 is entirely loose, sothat it may rotate with respect to the sleeve 21 However, in anyposition of this tube, one or more ofthe spaced` apertures 28 in the Wall `thereof .will always 4register rwith the sound emission slots ofthe sleeveQL Secondly,lt is to be observed that the longitudinally extending Wall 17 of the sleeve 16 bycontacting with the, Wall' of` the casing 5 will limit the possibleiangular or lateral tilt of the air expelling-head and the tube with respect to theirvnormal position in coinciding relation to the axis of the casing. Therefore, said head and the tube can in no case assume such an extreme angular `position With respect to the longitudinalfaxis of the casing as would render thedevice inoperable. In thismanner it will be seen that I have succeeded in combining the` advantageous features of. the freely floating or loosely mounted sound emission-,tube with the bellows form of air chamber, thus insuring. a .very vpositive operation of, the several functioning parts of the device 4.vvhile at the same time reducing the manufacturing cost of such devices to a minimum.

Ihave illustrated and` described an embodiment of the, invention Which I have found to be very satisfactory in practical operation. Nevertheless, it is tobeclearly understood that the advantageous features of my `present` disclosure might also be obtained in other alternative structures, and I accordingly reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied Within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

l. In a sound producing device, a casing, an air chamber Within said casing having llexible body Wall secured at one end and a gravity movable head fixed to the other end of said body Wall and of appreciably less diameter than the internal diameter of said casing and movable in'an angular direction with respect to the path of its air expelling movement, sound producing means uoperate-d by the flow of air in the gravity movement of said head in one direction, and a part projecting` longitudinally of the casing from the outer edge of said head and adapted to. coact with the casing Wall to prevent any substantial axial tilting movel nient of said air expelling head.

2. In a sound producing device, a casing, an air chamber Within said casing having a flexible body Wall secured at one end and a gravity movable head lixed to the other end of said Wall and of less diameter than the casing, sound producing means operated by the flow of air in the gravity movement of said head` a member' loosely positioned axially through said air chamber and having a sound emitting aperture, a `part carried by said head and reacting with said aperture to control the emission of the sound, said air expelling headbeing laterally movableiand having a marginal Wall adapted toV coactwith said casing and limit the displacement of said head and thesoundemisSiOn;control ,meansy from a normal positionin substantially concentric relation with the Wall of Isaid casing;

Ina sound producing device, a casing, an air :chamber ,Within said. casing having a liexiblebody Wall secured at `one end and -a head fixed tothe other end of `saidbody Wall and` of `less diameter thanv the internalV diameter of the casing and; laterally movable with respect thereto, sound producing means through Whichithe air is expelled from said chamber, aimember positioned ,axially of .said casing and air chamber, unattached to the casing'ivalls and late-rally movable with respect thereto, said memberA having a sound emittingaperture, a part carried lby said air expelling' head coacting Withsaid aperture to control the emission of the sound, and `said head provided with means tovcoact with the wall ofthe casing and limit the lateraly angular movement of -said member and the head from a normal position in substantially concentric .relation with thecasing Wall.

4,-. In a sound producing device, a casing, an air chamber vWithin saidlcasing rhavinga flexible body wall secured at one end, gravity movable head fixed to the other end of said body Wall and Of less diameter than said casing, sound producing means operated by the flow of air in the gravity movement of said head, a member positioned axially through said chamber and through said head and capable of rotative movement relative thereto and lateral movement With said head relative to the casing Wall, said member having a. sound emitting aperture, and a parl carried by said head to coact With said aperture and control the emission of the sound.

5. In a sound producing device, a casing, having a head on each end, one of said heads `provided With sound emission apertures, an

air chamber Within said casing having a flexible body vvall and a gravity movable air expelling head fixed to one end of said Wall,

sound producing means through which the air is expelled from said chamber, a tubular member positioned axially through said air chamber and head and unattached to the casing heads, said member providing a sound chamber and having a nasal aperture at one end thereof and an additional sound emission aperture in spaced relation to the nasal aperture` a part carried by said air expelling head and movable therewith along said tube to coact with the said additional sound emission aperture of the tube and control the emission of sound therefrom, said air expelling head being of less diameter than the internal diameter of the casing and provided with a marginal Wall. to engage the casing extending wall and limit the lateral angular movement ot said head and the tube from a normal position substantially in concentric relation with the casing Wall.

6. ln a sound producing device, a casing, an Vair chamber Within said casing having a flexible body Wall secured at one end and a gravity movable head -iixed to the other end of said body Wall and of materially less diameter than the internal diameter of said casing and movable: in an angularrdirection with respect tothe path of its air expelling movement, sound producing means ope-rated by the flow of air in the gravity movement ol' said head in one direction, a guide loosely positioned Wit-hin said casing and extending axially through said head, and means on one of saidV parts adapted to coact with the casing Wall to'prevent any substantial'axial tilting movement of the guide and said head with respect to said Wall.

7. In a sound producing device, a casing, an air chamber vithin said casing having a flexible body Wall tired at one ot its ends lto the casing Wall, and a. gravity movable head of less diameter than the casing closing the other end of said chamber and compris- Ying a sheet metal "shell having a marginal annular Wall adapted to engage the casing Wall and limit the lateral angular movement of said head and an end Wall provided with an inwardly struck central portion forming an annular shoulder therein, and a disc engaged with the other end edge of the 'flexible body Wall of said chamber, seating against the inwardly struck portion of the end Wall ot' said shell and tightly clamping vthe ilexible chamber Wall against said shoulder.

8. ln a sound producing device, a casingg an air chamber-Within said casing having a flexible body Wall secured at one end and a gravity movable head lined to the other end ot said body Wall and oi' materially less diameter than the internal diameter of said casing and movable in an angular direction with respect to the path oi' its air expelling movement, lsound producing means operated by the 'tlon7 ot air in the gravity movement otl said head inone direction, a guide loosely positioned Within said casing and'extending axially through said head, and an annular member projecting longitudinally from the outer edge of said head and adapted to coact with the casing Wall to prevent any subs 'antial axial tilting movement oi said guide and the head with respect to said Wall.

ln testin'ionythat I claim the foregoing as my :invent-ion, I' have signed my name hereunder.

' Lno J. GRUBMAN. 

